Sometimes you need to let go of the steering wheel and see where the road takes you…

That Bitter Sweet Taste

If I could describe the past 12 days in one word that would be it. Absolute bliss.

I was awoken each morning by nature’s alarm clock. The sun would stream through the open shutters, announcing the start of a new day. What adventures would be in store for me today?

Rolling out of my large, comfy bed I would begin each morning with a 20 minute bedroom workout. The gentle thuds of my exercises travelled to the room below, ensuring that Mum and Dad would soon be awake if not already.

After freshening up, I would run down two flights of stairs where I was welcomed with the smell of fresh coffee. Dad would pour me a mug from the brew as I sat in the light filled dining room eating my breakfast.

Each day trip began with the navigator (Mum) entering the details into the GPS. On day 1 this took 15 long, frustrating minutes. Each day the process became less painful. The stress levels amongst passengers in the car also declined throughout the week as the Falcon became an A class left hand driver, mastering the French road laws.

On the return of each journey we prepared for my favourite part of each day: cheese and wine! We tried and tested local wines, cheese, olives and oils and accompanied the nibbles with fresh baguettes from the local boulangerie (bakery).

Quiet evenings of writing blogs, uploading photos and reading blogs reminded me of nights spent back home with Mum and Dad. It’s amazing how at home you can feel despite being on the other side of the world. It just goes to show that it’s the people you surround yourself with that make you feel most at home.

So our time in Provence has come to an end. And as I prepare to board the plane to meet Fiona and Sammy in Spain I am left with the bitter sweet taste. How lucky I am to have spent time with my parents on this adventure. How lucky that I’ve been able to see my parents not once, but TWICE in the past 7 months. But today as I say goodbye to Mum and Dad, I do so for what will be the last time for the next 17 months. But as hard as it all is, it’s part of the journey. It’s the sacrifice you make when you choose to pack up your bags and live on the other side of the world. So for now I say goodbye to Mum, Dad and France.